Inklingo

aplazar

ah-plah-SAHR/aplaˈθaɾ/

aplazar means to postpone in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

to postpone

Also: to delay, to put off
VerbB1spelling change ar
A closed picnic basket sitting on a wooden bench under a rainy sky.
gerundaplazando
past Participleaplazado
infinitiveaplazar

📝 In Action

Tuvimos que aplazar la boda hasta el próximo año.

A2

We had to postpone the wedding until next year.

El partido se aplazó por la lluvia.

B1

The match was delayed because of the rain.

No puedes aplazar tus decisiones para siempre.

B2

You cannot put off your decisions forever.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • aplazar una reuniónto postpone a meeting
  • pago aplazadodeferred payment
  • aplazar indefinidamenteto postpone indefinitely

to fail a student

VerbC1spelling change ar
Argentina / Uruguay
A sad student looking at a test paper with a large red circle on it.
gerundaplazando
past Participleaplazado
infinitiveaplazar

📝 In Action

El profesor me aplazó en el examen final.

B2

The teacher failed me on the final exam.

Si no estudias, te van a aplazar.

B1

If you don't study, they are going to flunk you.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • reprobar (to fail / flunk)
  • suspender (to fail (common in Spain))

Antonyms

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesaplazaran
yoaplazara
aplazaras
vosotrosaplazarais
nosotrosaplazáramos
él/ella/ustedaplazara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesaplacen
yoaplace
aplaces
vosotrosaplacéis
nosotrosaplacemos
él/ella/ustedaplace

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesaplazaron
yoaplacé
aplazaste
vosotrosaplazasteis
nosotrosaplazamos
él/ella/ustedaplazó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesaplazaban
yoaplazaba
aplazabas
vosotrosaplazabais
nosotrosaplazábamos
él/ella/ustedaplazaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesaplazan
yoaplazo
aplazas
vosotrosaplazáis
nosotrosaplazamos
él/ella/ustedaplaza

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: aplazar

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence is correctly spelled in the past?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
plazo(deadline / term)Noun
aplazamiento(postponement)Noun
emplazar(to summon / to site)Verb
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

From the Spanish prefix 'a-' (towards) and the noun 'plazo' (deadline/period), which comes from Latin 'placitum' (agreement/pleasure).

First recorded: 13th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: aprazar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'aplazar' more formal than 'posponer'?

They are very similar, but 'aplazar' is slightly more common in business or administrative contexts when talking about official deadlines.

Can I use 'aplazar' for a flight delay?

Usually, for a flight delay, 'retrasar' is used. 'Aplazar' implies the entire event was rescheduled for a different day or time slot.

Why does the 'z' change to 'c'?

In Spanish, 'ze' and 'zi' are mostly replaced by 'ce' and 'ci' to maintain the same soft sound while following standard spelling patterns.